It’s Your Life. Your Journey.
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There is a lot of reflection going on lately in my yoga practice, so here is another life lesson from my yoga class that you didn’t ask for…
There are different ways to do a yoga pose. The teacher would usually tell you that you can modify it in this way or that way.
As we were moving through a vinyasa flow today in the same 95°F room, the teacher said,
“It’s your vinyasa, your journey.”
When I heard that, I thought to myself, why are we not treating our life this way?
In the yoga room, there is a deep understanding that you are on your own path even if everyone is doing the same pose.
You shouldn’t compare yourself to the person next to you, and focus on yourself.
But in life? We often fall into the trap of comparison.
“All my friends are getting married and having kids, am I weird that I’m not?”
“My friend got a new job, why am I still stuck at this job?”
“My sister is so much more successful than me…I must be doing something wrong.”
I remember when my best friend at work finished her ARE exams in 9 months, and I was still stuck 4 years later…
I thought I must be a failure.
Why can she do it so much faster than I did when we have the same level of experience and the same work schedule?
Eventually, I did finish all my exams and became a licensed architect, and I realized that my ARE journey might be longer than others but it’s what I made out of it that matters.
We’re still the best of friends, but we’re now on very different career paths. Because even though we had very similar lives:
We were both born and raised in HK and moved to the US around the same age.
We both went to architecture school in the NY/NJ area.
We both worked at Gensler in the same studio sitting next to each other.
We’re individuals that can and should own our paths forward.
So as we approach the end of the first quarter of the year, I wanted to remind you that…
🌟 It’s your life, your journey.
My goal in educating you about personal branding isn’t really to help you become a social influencer.
I do it because I believe it can help you take back control of your career, your life.
It's easy to get caught up in the expectations and opinions of others, and sometimes we can feel lost or unsure about the direction we should take.
But at the end of the day, we’re the only ones that can take control.
It's okay if you take longer than others to finish your ARE exams, or you decide to stay in the same firm for 15 years when others are job hopping.
Your life is your own, and you have the power to shape it in any way you choose.
Remember that every step you take is a step forward, no matter how small it may seem.
I believe in you, and I'm here to support you every step of the way.
Speaking of support, I'm planning a Mental Health Summit in Architecture, the first and only conference that addresses the biggest issue in our industry—HEALTH.
If you haven't done so, can you help fill out the survey to let us know what you want to see at the summit? Your feedback will help us plan the best event for you!
Always cheering you on,
Joann
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